BUILD Grant Update

Last night, we were disappointed to learn that the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), for the second year, did not select the Ashley River Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge as a priority project for funding.

The City of Charleston’s memo on the subject states: “Our next step will be to schedule time with the Government Affairs Office of USDOT and the staff who oversaw the BUILD grant review process to understand their decision making and further improve our next application.”

While federal funding sources are certainly helpful, we should not forget that our region voted to increase the half cent sales tax. Projects for PEOPLE, like the Ashley River Bridges (the Ashley River Crossing, James Island Connector and North Bridge), that improve safety, reduce congestion, and increase access for all citizens should certainly be budgeted in the sales tax project list.

We are talking to councilmembers NOW about funding this vital project locally. Please help us by signing our petition. If you buy stuff in Charleston County, then you are contributing to the sales tax and should have a say on how this money is spent!

Project History

A safe Ashley River crossing for people on bikes and foot has been debated since the 1920s! In the 1980s, Mayor Riley began asserting that the problem should be solved. Real study began in 2010, with examination of a stand-alone bridge, a cantilevered bridge, and ultimately, conversion of the fourth lane for bicycles and pedestrians on the eastbound bridge (the Legare Bridge). The lane conversion on Legare was chosen as the best option, with the project lead being the City of Charleston, and the design included adding a left turn lane for motor vehicles where the bridge touches down at the intersection of Bee and Lockwood.

The Legare lane conversion project timeline went as follows:

Left turn lane groundbreaking (February 12, 2016)

Left turn lane installation (Completed April 1, 2016)

Lane closure test period (February 2 — Early May, 2016)

Charleston County releases test results (June 2016)

Charleston City Council re-affirms support (July 19, 2016)

Charleston County Council requests SCDOT weigh in on structural integrity of the bridge, 60-day deadline (September 20, 2016)

Charleston County Council officially voted to rescind support of the project on August 17, 2017, despite widespread public support (see map below), and at least three major bicycle crashes occurring during the year the County played delay games and politics over safety by requesting additional study. The City of Charleston, as project lead, still supported the project, but was ultimately overridden by SCDOT.

Where are we now?

Charleston Moves, Charleston County, the City of Charleston, and project consultants convened to decide next steps. Consulting engineers asserted that the James Island Connector could not be cantilevered, and that the SCDOT would not allow pedestrians in the Connector’s breakdown lane. Project cost estimates of a stand-alone bridge adjacent to the Legare Bridge proved to be similar to a cantilevered design with a stand-alone portion along the bridge’s bascule (drawbridge). In October 2017, the City of Charleston and Charleston County approved matching funds ($1.5M and $3M, respectively) for a federal TIGER grant application to fund a stand-alone bike and pedestrian bridge. Charleston Moves gathered support letters and other documentation to assist with the application. Unfortunately, the grant was not approved. As of spring 2018, the City of Charleston and Charleston County recommitted their matching funds for a new round of the federal grant application, now called the BUILD grant. The application is due by the end of July 2018.

Get involved!

Regardless of whether the grant application is funded, we still must determine a way to safely get people on bikes and foot across the Ashley River. West Ashley is the City’s largest residential population, and the peninsula is the largest employment center. The route is identified as a priority in the West Ashley Plan, People Pedal CHS, Battery2Beach, and the East Coast Greenway. We’ll be discussing the abilities of our County Council and SCDOT to prioritize the safety of our citizens with a national audience at the upcoming American Planning Association National Planning Conference. Stay tuned for updates, and if you’re interested in taking additional action, reach out to us for ideas.

WE, THE PEOPLE, HAVE SPOKEN!

Share this map with Mayor Tecklenburg, Leland Colvin of SCDOT, and your County Councilmember to show that you are in the majority!